


School Days

by Crazyamoeba



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-18
Updated: 2007-07-04
Packaged: 2018-12-26 18:38:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12064746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyamoeba/pseuds/Crazyamoeba
Summary: Brian helps Justin with his problems with Chris Hobbs and the other homophobes. Think late season 1, and Brian hasn’t pushed Justin away as much.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

  
Author's notes: Pleas, please review, it really is great to get people's opinions!   


* * *

Justin climbed into the jeep outside St. James, trying to cover up his sudden wince. Brian’s eyesight, however, was by no means failing.

“Justin, what’s wrong?” he asked, barely masking his concern.

Despite his discomfort, Justin’s heart leapt. _He cares about me!_

Of course, he had always known this, but Brian wasn’t one for public displays of affection. 

But the very man’s voice brought him crashing back to reality.

“Justin, I asked you what’s wrong,” Brian sternly reminded him. But his tone was surprisingly gentle. Justin faltered.

“Uh, nothing,” he said rather lamely. He figured that the best option was to deny it.

He had been figuring the same thing for days now.

 

Brian stared at Justin, and he felt something that he had never felt before in his life. Helpless. Every day that Justin came home to the loft, fresh from school, he would see the boy wince when he sat down, banged into something, or even sometimes when Brian touched him.

And Brian didn’t like it one bit.

Of course, every time the subject was brought up, Justin would simply deny that anything was wrong. And there was really nothing to prove otherwise. Nothing obvious. It would have been missed by anyone who wasn’t close to the boy. But there were signs apart from the flinches; he was slightly more nervous and suspicious than before, he was a tiny bit more subdued. He was often on the defensive. And he was always slightly cranky on a Sunday night or on a school morning. He would not sit still, he would have to do something with his hands, and he hated any mention of the following school day. He would either snap at Brian, or look as though he was about to cry. He was cuddlier than usual; for example, if Brian was lounging on the sofa, he would silently but quickly slip up to him, and wriggle himself gently into Brian’s arms, taking comfort from the hold. But he would do it in that quiet, quick manner; as though he was afraid Brian would push him off if he was too noisy or slow in making his move.

But Brian didn’t want to push him away. He would do his best to comfort the boy, if needed, but it was difficult, as Justin wouldn’t tell him what was wrong.

Brian was having a dilemma. It was a complicated situation. Brian knew that Justin didn’t enjoy school. School days were the most miserable days of everyone’s lives. So while there wasn’t much he could do about the general hatred of school, he did all he could to make it more bearable for Justin. Help with homework, write emails to teachers, yell at the teachers if Justin was under too much pressure. All that horribly domestic stuff. But he didn’t mind doing it, which was, to him, bizarre.

He also knew about Chris Hobbes and the rest of the homophobic assholes at St. James. He knew that they gave Justin a hard time. And always did everything in his power to help. In fact, that was what most of the yelling at teachers was about. And the emails. And he would have to be restrained from beating up Chris and his goons if he saw them. He remembered the time a while back when he had seen them outside the school gates, and they had dropped Justin’s papers on the floor. It wasn’t anything horrific, but it had made Brian’s blood boil, and he had made sure that those assholes knew that Justin was not alone.

But, still, he was limited in what he could do.

But he was determined to change that. Because something was bugging his Sunshine. And he would find out what. And then he would fix it.

 

 

 

  


 


	2. Chapter 2

  
Author's notes: Thanks for all your reviews, sorry for delay!  


* * *

School Days Part 2

"Justin, you have to eat something," Brian explained gently to the boy who was currently curled up on the sofa, watching the world go by on the liquid TV screen. The boy who was currently looking quite a bit skinnier than before.

"Fuck _off_ Brian; I don't want anything to eat!" Justin snapped, shifting on the sofa to glare at Brian.

Brian squashed his own anger and turned and walked away to the kitchen. When Justin was in this mood, it was best to just give the boy his space; otherwise he would just get more and more wound up, maybe culminating with him shedding tears.

But Brian was expecting his Sunshine to act this way. It was a Sunday evening, and Justin was getting more and more sullen and subdued. Brian always thought that Justin acted like a condemned man when he thought of school.

But he shouldn't have to feel like that. No one, least of all his Sunshine, should dread waking up in the morning simply because of school. And Brian was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

The state of his Sunshine made him determined. The boy was unhappy. And what was really startling Brian was his weight. Justin had started piling _off_ the pounds weeks ago, and it was worrying him. He would hardly eat anything, and even when he did, it was mostly due to Brian's coaxing. And his self confidence was for shit – much lower than it had been when Brian had first met him. On that note Brian began to reflect back over the past weeks, and how Justin had been acting.

_"Jesus, Justin, you have to stop, you're going to break the treadmill in a minute," Brian exclaimed, finally unable to sit back and watch as Justin reached the hour mark on his hard run on the treadmill in the centre of the loft._

_Justin looked as though he had been slapped. He stopped the treadmill and looked at Brian with wide eyes._

_"Brian, I'm sorry... how could you… I know I-I'm not the skinniest person in the world, but-but for fucks sake, I'm working on it!" he had cried out, tears spilling over his cheeks, bottom lip quivering._

_Brian had never been more shocked. How could Justin think that he meant it in that way? He immediately took his lover in his arms, firmly, as if to prove to Justin that he meant what he was going to say._

_"Justin, how the fuck could you think that I meant it in that way?" he almost growled, "Hell, I can't believe that you would think of yourself that way. You are in no way fat. You are skinny, Justin, not fucking fat. You know how Deb always gets on your back about being too skinny. And half the guys in Babylon would kill to have your body. You are perfect Justin."_

_Justin had smiled as he clutched on to Brian, pleased that he still found him beautiful. Even if certain others didn't._

Another time Brian had walked in on Justin while he was in the bathroom.

_"Justin!" Brian exclaimed softly, going over to the blond with a worried expression on his face._

_Justin was sitting cross legged on the counter in front of the mirror, and there was the beginning of tears in his eyes, and possibly the angriest expression that Brian had ever seen on his Sunshine's face. His hands were balled into fists, and they were shaking with anger._

_Brian approached slowly, and put his arms gently but firmly around the boy. When Justin was this upset, it was not unknown for him to lash out at the objects around him, and in doing so, hurt himself. Not intentionally, but it was still something that Brian hated to see._

_"Sunshine, what's the matter?" Brian asked gently, stroking the boy's plump cheek with his thumb._

_For a few seconds, Justin continued to just stare at his reflection in the mirror. But then he turned his gaze towards Brian and said quietly, but with such fury that it took Brian aback; "Why am I so fucking ugly Brian? Why? It's not fucking fair, why do I have to be so horrible looking?"_

_His fists clenched tighter, and Brian slid his own hands down to hold them, in case Justin lashed out without thinking yet again._

_Justin simply looked at Brian, his anger still present, but with a few tears escaping at the same time._

_"Justin, I want you to turn around and look in that mirror," Brian said in a calm, demanding voice. Justin sullenly obeyed._

_"What do you see?" Brian prompted quietly, still holding on to the tiny white fists of anger._

_"I see a fat, ugly…monster!" Justin bit out, starting off in a quiet but strained voice, but practically screaming the last word._

_He screwed his eyes shut, and tried to get his hands up to his face, kneading his skin violently, pulling at his hair in frustration at his 'ugliness'._

_But Brian quickly brought the boy's hands under control and hugged him tightly from behind again._

_"Shh, Sonnyboy calm down," he whispered into Justin's ear. "Come on, Jus, none of that, you'll hurt yourself."_

_The endearment got a small smile of pleasure from Justin, as it always did._

_"Justin I want you to listen to me very carefully. You are beautiful. You are anything but a monster. You are perfect. And I'm not just talking about the outside. You're beautiful in here too," Brian tapped Justin's chest. "And for someone to be absolutely stunning on the outside and inside,_ and _to be smart, is a remarkable feat. I think we should give you a treat," Brian wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Justin, eliciting a laugh from the boy, who looked so happy at simply being told that he was beautiful. But Brian wasn't done._

_"Justin, believe it or not, I'm not just some asshole who bases everything on looks. I don't really give a fuck what people look like, as long as they are beautiful inside. But I can tell beauty when I see it. And I go after it. Just because I don't base everything on beauty, doesn't mean I don't appreciate it!" Brian smirked, causing Justin to roll his eyes. But Brian turned serious again. "Justin when I saw you under the lamp post that night the sight of you just hit me. And I knew I had to have you because you were so fucking beautiful. And then I discovered the added bonus. You have that beauty inside you as well. And I was fucking hooked. Still am."_

_Justin's smile practically lit up his face, and the last of his previous tears dried, and he giggled as Brian swung him into the shower._

Brian sighed. He would have to figure out exactly what was going on with Justin.

But at least the blond wasn't completely depressed. Most of their time together was perfectly happy. Just punctuated by this strange and unwelcome wincing and extreme but short bouts of misery. Oh yeah, there was something wrong. But at least his boy wasn't lost to him. And he _was_ going to figure this out.

But for the time being, he would just have to comfort Justin until he was ready to reveal what was going on. Or until Brian figured it out. Whichever came first.

Brian wondered into the bedroom, only to find Justin curled up on the bed, sobbing.

"Hey, Sunshine, what's the matter?" Brian asked softly, climbing onto the bed and pulling Justin up to lay against his chest.

Justin gratefully leaned into the touch, nuzzling his face in Brian's neck, revelling in the warmth there.

Brian felt the boy's tears wet his neck, and he felt a rush of anger towards those who made his boy sob hysterically.

"Ssh, it's ok Sonnyboy, you're alright, I'll take care of you, it's ok," Brian whispered soothing words into Justin's ear until the boy calmed slightly. Brian gently began to undress Justin, all the while whispering those soothing words to him.

"Ok, Jus, lets get you in bed, you'll feel better there. Come on, it's alright. I'll stay with you."

He slid the petit blond under the covers, then got in himself and cradled the clingy Justin to him again.

"Justin, you know that I don't want you to suffer. I'd do anything to make you feel better," Brian promised quietly. He began to shush Justin again when the boy began to tremble. He rocked Justin gently back and forth in a way that he knew comforted his boy. He plucked a tissue from the nightstand and gently wiped the tears away.

"I'd do anything. You just have to tell me what's wrong. You can always tell me," Brian murmured, stroking Justin's hair, calming the boy down.

After a few minutes, Brian had managed to soothe Justin down from his tears, and the boy opened his mouth to speak.

"I really don't want to go to school tomorrow," he whispered, sounding so young to Brian's ears.

"Jus, you don't ever have to do anything you don't want to. You are staying here tomorrow," Brian felt Justin immediately relax, and was glad to feel the boy smile with relief. "You work too hard anyway. You deserve a break." Brian told Justin, gently moving them both down, so they were lying down, with Justin's head on Brian's shoulder.

"Thank you," Justin whispered, snuggling closer to Brian, who wrapped his arms firmly around Justin, stroking the boy's pale arm with his finger.

"That's ok Justin. You don't have to thank me. We'll work this out. You just got to trust me."

Justin smiled contentedly. Of course he trusted Brian.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

  
Author's notes: Thanks for all of the reviews!  


* * *

Justin woke up to the comforting feel of Brian's arms around him, and one of the large, tanned hands stroking his hair.

Justin smiled, looking up at Brian sleepily, and let Brian's hands stroke him soothingly.

Justin rolled his head in pleasure, but, unfortunately for both halves of the delicious couple, he caught sight of the alarm clock.

And he panicked.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Brian, why didn't you wake me up, it's 9:30?! I'm gonna be so late!"

_I get enough grief at school as it is without being late! Now the teachers will have a good excuse to be right up my ass, and not in the positive, life affirming way._

Justin struggled to get up off the bed, completely forgetting that Brian said that he could stay at home today.

Justin jumped when he felt strong arms wrap around his middle, preventing him from getting out of bed. He turned around to face Brian frantically.

"Brian, what are you doing, get off me, I'm already late!" he wailed, trying weakly and ineffectively to pry Brian's hands off of his waist.

 

Brian was taken aback at Justin's frantic behaviour, hanging on as the boy twisted and turned wildly in his hold. And Brian couldn't help but notice how weak and desperate the boy sounded when he wailed about already being late for school.

Brian decided to put a stop to this right now.

"Justin," he said sternly, giving the boy a sharp but still very gentle jerk.

This tactic always got Justin to calm down and pay attention to whatever Brian was saying, no matter how much the situation upset the boy. He had first discovered this bit of useful information when Craig Taylor had come to publicly disown his son, and beating up Brian in the process. The boy had been clearly distressed, and had been shouting at his father, his voice reaching the point of hysteria, when Brian had come up behind him, taken the boy in a light hold in his arms and had called the blonds name in that same stern way. It had worked like a charm.

And sure enough, the result was the same this time. Justin slowed his struggle immediately and visibly calmed when he turned around to face Brian. But he still looked rushed and stressed out. Brian reached out and stroked down the boy's soft cheek in what he hoped was a calming manner, and looked into the bright blue eyes, knowing that this always settled Justin.

"Justin, listen to me. It's ok. You don't have to go to school today, remember? We agreed that you could use the break," Brian reminded him in a quiet voice, gearing up for the next part, which he knew Justin wouldn't like.

"And I know that you haven't been happy at school. And I think we need to talk about it, and solve all the problems."

 

This was why Justin loved Brian. That confidence that reassured him that everything would be ok, that Brian wouldn't let anything happen to him, and that Brian would protect him.

And even if he still didn't want to talk to Brian about it at the moment, it still comforted him. For a man to be able to do that for his partner, always make him feel safe, even though he didn't want to talk about his problems yet, that took someone special.

Brian was that special kind of person. That was why Justin loved him.

 


	4. Chapter 4

  
Author's notes: Thank you all so much for the kind revies and sorry for the wait!  


* * *

School Days Part 4

Justin curled up on the sofa, which was fast becoming a habit of his; to retreat to the sofa when things became too much. The benefit of this was that Justin was usually calm, even if there was something wrong. It was better than the hysterical screaming and crying, because when Justin got worked up like that, he would be damn near impossible to calm down. And Brian found it very difficult to watch Justin suffer so much that he stood there, screaming at him hysterically with tears streaming down his face until he damn near passes out from the screaming. When Justin was in that state, Brian could not soothe him, and little of the comforting words he offered got through the hysteria.

At least when he was on the sofa he was subdued, and Brian could at least try to make him feel better and comfort him.

But Justin couldn't hide from this forever. He needed to get help with whatever was bothering him. But to do that, he would have to tell Brian, and he couldn't do this if he hid from the situation. Brian didn't want to see his boy suffer any longer, especially not in silence.

He approached the boy on the sofa, and sat down gently beside him, then slowly put his arm around Justin, gently coaxing him to lean against his shoulder. It didn't take long for Justin to comply, and sink gratefully against Brian.

"Sonnyboy, please help me with my dilemma," Brian said softly.

Justin looked curious. He didn't know that Brian was having a problem. What possible problem could the smart, confident Brian Kinney have?

"What dilemma?" he asked finally, looking up at Brian with wide eyes.

 "Your problems," Brian answered softly.

Justin stiffened and tried to push Brian away and stand up, but Brian put his other arm around Justin and held him firmly in place.

Justin struggled weakly for a few moments, pushing and twisting in his attempt to escape from talking about what was bothering him. Brian was willing to bet that it was, more specifically, school that Justin was trying to escape talking about.

So he held onto the struggling blond mass, noting with sadness that the struggles weren't quite as strong as they used to be.

Eventually, Justin grew tired, and his flailing began to slow until he gave up with one last resigned punch to Brian's broad chest. He collapsed and lay there, taking refuge in Brian's embrace, trying to burrow under his arm and hide from everything.

Brian simply sat and stroked Justin's hair for a while, to calm the teen before he started his questions.

When he deemed that Justin was calm enough to begin, he started his line of enquiry, gently.

 "Justin, I just want you to please tell me, does school make you unhappy?"

Justin closed his eyes and began to wriggle just a little, as though this would somehow transport him to another time and place where there were no questions.

"Please just leave me alone," he begged in a voice that was breaking with tension.

But Justin's eyes widened as he realised what he had just said. He tightened his grip on Brian's shirt, and cried out; "No! I don't mean leave me! Please, don't leave, I didn't mean it like that! I just meant stop asking all these questions."

Justin jumped up off the sofa and began to pace, raking his hands through his hair in what could only be described as total distress.

Brian slowly got up and went towards the pacing boy. He gripped Justin's shoulder, and turned him around.

Justin's eyes were full of tears, fear, and fury, but he said nothing, just stood there, trembling and staring at Brian. The brunette waited there like that for what seemed like hours, seeing if Justin was going to explode, or if he could be calmed down. After a few long minutes, Brian made his decision. He took Justin's hand and led him gently and slowly back to the sofa.

"Justin," Brian whispered when Justin simply stared ahead. "Justin, look at me."

Justin slowly turned his head around and stared at Brian. Then he began to speak.

"Yes," he whispered. "School makes me unhappy."

Brian almost sighed in relief that he was finally getting somewhere with Justin, but he didn't think that the boy would appreciate a sigh right now.

"Ok, that's a start," he said instead, probing gently. "Can you maybe tell me why?"

Justin simply shook his head.

Brian really did want to sigh now. It was like pulling teeth. But if the teeth were rotten, they had to be pulled.

"Is it the work? Is there too much of it? Because I know that you work really hard, and that there's a lot of pressure. Is it that?"

Justin paused for a minute, thinking about this. No, it wasn't really the reason that he dreaded going to school, but it sure as Hell didn't make anything better. The pressure was intense.

_And if I say that to Brian it might keep him off my back for a while. I can't tell him the real reason, it's too fucking humiliating. He'll find out that I'm weak, and then he might leave me, because he hates weakness._

 "Yeah, the, uh…the pressure kind of gets to me," Justin agreed, voice cracking and conscience screaming at the act of lying to Brian. He swallowed nervously, and the sound seemed to echo way more than it should.

Brian tightened his grip. He knew Justin was lying.

"Well, Justin, I don't ever want you to worry about that again. I know you have lots of work, but we'll take care of that. I'll rip your teachers a new one if they pile on the crap too heavily," Brian reassured. Even though he knew that this wasn't really the reason, he did know that it caused Justin agro all the same.

"And I have a plan, ok?" Brian asked, glancing at Justin who simply nodded. "Your tutors all say that the allocated time that anyone should spend on a piece of work is 45 minutes, right?"

Justin nodded.

"So I want you to stick to that. So when 45 minutes is up, you stop, no matter whether you've finished or not," Brian stated calmly and firmly.

Justin opened his mouth, as if to protest, but Brian quickly cut him off.

"And if you don't stop, I will come over, take the work off you, and I will force you to sit down, have a drink or something to eat, because you _work too hard._ You push yourself hard, and it's not healthy to push too hard, and not have breaks," Brian told Justin calmly, again tightening his grip, as he knew that Justin was having a hard time adjusting to this new rule.

But it was a necessary rule. And Brian would make sure it was enforced, for the sake of Justin's health.

Justin finally smiled. Ok, so the main reason for his unhappiness hadn't yet been revealed. But this had still lifted a weight off of his shoulders. The fact that Brian was willing to sit down and work through Justin's problems made Justin actually feel wanted. He snuggled closer to Brian. Maybe life wasn't so shitty after all.

Brian finally felt the kid relax, and breathed a sigh of relief. Ok, so Justin still hadn't opened up, but his relief at the news of his now reduced work load seemed to be genuine. At least he was happy for now.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

School Days Part 5

Brian was pissed off.

No, really.

Justin was still hiding something from him, he knew, and before, he hadn't really been panicking about it, because he thought that he had time to gently coax it out of him. It turns out that he was wrong.

He had thought that Justin would want to have the rest of the week off, just to recover from working flat out for a term. And when he had suggested this to Justin, he had grudgingly agreed.

Now he was changing his mind. He wanted to go in to school tomorrow.

After yesterday's little emotional talk, Brian had thought that Justin would have got the idea that he was working too hard and should slow down and recuperate. Take more breaks. But apparently Justin had not got the message. He wanted to go in to give Daphne part of a project that they had been working on together.

Brian had said no, of course. He didn't want Justin to overdo it. But Justin, being the headstrong, stubborn bastard that he was, had just stormed off, and was currently in the bedroom, packing his school bag.

Brian just watched for a moment as Justin got all his books and papers together, with a face of total misery. One that - once Brian thought back to the few previous times he had been around for the event - Justin always wore when he was packing his bag. Brian thought that it was very telling that one  minute, Justin would be all bubbly, fun, and just generally sunshine-y, but that as soon as Brian mentioned school, his demeanour would change to sad, withdrawn and brooding; sometimes even angry.

And Brian was sick of that fucking school making Justin's life a misery, and interfering with their – he couldn't believe he was admitting they had one – relationship. School was bullshit.

He made his way over to where Justin was packing his shit, and he wound his arms around the teen's waist.

"Justin, please. You're going to burn yourself out if you keep this shit up," he murmured into Justin's ear. "I thought that you understood what we were talking about last night." 

Brian felt the boy try to wiggle out of his arms, but he held on tightly. He wasn't going to let Justin get out of this one simply because he didn't want to talk about it. Didn't he understand that he had to talk?

"Christ, Brian, just let me go!" he grumbled, trying ineffectively to pry Brian's hands off of his arm.

"No, Justin," Brian said sternly, his tone of voice stilling Justin's struggles.

"You have to talk to me now. I'm fucking sick of being kept in the dark. I know that you haven't been entirely honest with me. And I don't like people who aren't honest," Brian stated, carefully checking Justin's eyes, wanting to get something out of him, but not wanting to push too hard.

"After all, haven't I always been honest with you? About everything; tricking, our little…relationship. I have always promised to be honest. And I have been. Now don't you think that you owe me the same thing in return?"

Justin bowed his head, the guilt eating at him ever more steadily now that Brian was berating him for lying.

He nodded, his conscience screaming.

"Well, tell me. What is really bothering you, and why do you supposedly _have_ to go in to school today, after our little discussion last night?"

Justin looked down at the floor, his body more tense than Brian had ever seen it. Quite frankly he was worried that the boy would strain all the muscles in his body.

Then Brian became aware that Justin's breathing was a little off – whack. He was taking deep, shallow breaths, and his eyes were darting around the room, and he looked as though he was about to explode any at any minute.

Brian gently put his hand on the blonds' shoulder, and squeezed softly.

"Justin?" Brian enquired in a very soothing voice, trying to make eye contact.

The blond tore out of Brian's grip, eyes blazing like never before.

"You want to know what's wrong?" he screamed, balling his fists and shaking with rage and fear.

"Alright, I'll tell you. I'll tell you what it's like!"

Just as he was about to go on, he stopped, as if considering what he had just said.

"In fact, no, I can't tell you what it's like. I can tell you what's bothering me, but I can't make you realise what it's like, because you have NO FUCKING IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE!"

Brian advanced on Justin attempting to take the hysterical boy in his arms, knowing that this amount of stress was not good for him. But Justin apparently had other ideas.

"No!" he screamed, kicking and punching out of Brian's grasp.

Brian let him go, not wanting Justin to hurt himself even more.

"No! Just listen! You wanted to know, so here it is; did you know that I can't even walk into school in peace? That I get harassed in whichever part of the school I walk in? That it _doesn't_ even _wait_ until I get into the fucking building? Did you know that I have absolutely no fucking friends apart form Daphne, and even she can't do much, cos if she does, she'll get herself on the shit list? Did you know that the most time I get without someone doing something or saying something is five minutes? I counted.

Do you know what that's like? DO YOU? NO! SO JUST BUTT THE FUCK OUT!"

Brian didn't have any time to think before the hysterical whirlwind bolted to the door, tears beginning in his eyes, breathing ragged. He could only stand in shock.

But the sound of Justin's ragged breathing brought Brian out of his daze. This was no time to be shocked. He needed to look after Justin right now.

He ran up to the bedroom to fetch something, and then went back to Justin who was struggling to open the door, but was too hyped up and had too many tears in his eyes to succeed in his task.

Brian slowly approached the boy, and wrapped his arms firmly around him.

Justin cried out in shock, and then began to beat at Brian wildly, small, shaking fists raining down punches that Brian just stood and took, knowing that Justin needed to get this out of his system.

"No! No, just get off me Brian, please, I don't want to be here right now," Justin sobbed.

"Shh, I know you don't Justin, I know," Brian murmured soothingly, stroking Justin's hair and gently warding off his punches.

"I know you don't want to see me right now, I know," he took Justin's fist out from where it was pulling at his hair.

"I know, but I'm not gonna force you to stay, I know you want some space, I just want to make sure you're okay before you go – no listen to me!"

Brian said firmly, turning Justin's head to meet his eyes when he began to renew his struggles.

"You're going to have an attack if you don't slow your breathing down, so just take a puff of this," Brian told the boy gently, but definitely, and brought the inhaler to Justin's lips with one hand, the other holding his head steady as he tossed and turned, eyes boring into Brian's and tearing up, face red from the yelling.

But eventually Justin had to submit, and he reluctantly puffed from the inhaler Brian was holding, Brian's eyes watching carefully, not relenting until he was sure the boy had calmed down.

"Now," he started calmly, tightening his grip on Justin when he tried to run again. 

"I know you need some space for a while, and I'll let you go, but you take this with you," he handed Justin his mobile phone.

"And you go into school – Christ knows there's no stopping you – you go to first lesson, you give this project to Daphne, and then I'll call you. Don't argue."

Brian looked at Justin sternly, until he nodded that he understood.

"Ok," Brian said quietly, and Justin gripped his school bag, and then darted out of the loft.

Brian sighed. He hadn't really wanted to let Justin go, but when he was this worked up, it was better to just give in and let the boy have his alone time. And besides, he would definitely be checking up on his blond.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

School Days Part 6

Brian sat down at the kitchen island and sighed. He didn't know whether it was in relief or frustration. Relief that Justin had finally opened up, or frustration that he knew that there was more to the events than Justin was telling him.

He was so close to finding out the whole version of events – he would question Justin again after he came home, as the kid's defences were already softened up from his earlier admission, and the fact that another day at school would probably finally convince him that he couldn't deal with this on his own. Yet he was still so far away.

Brian finally decided that the sigh was probably a mixture of both; relief and frustration.

***

An hour had passed since Brian had let Justin run out of the loft, and he decided that it would have been plenty of time for Justin to give his project to Daphne. And besides, Brian knew the schedule for St. James academy, so he knew that right about now, there would be a ten minute break for all students and teachers. It would be the perfect time to call Justin and _tell_ the stubborn blond that he was coming over to bring him back to the loft.

He would have just gone straight over there, but if he did that, Justin really would be pissed at him. Sure, he would be pissed enough that Brian would be calling to tell him that he _was_ coming to collect him, but at least this way it gave Justin warning and time to compose himself. It also made him feel just a bit more in control.

But there was no answer when he called Justin. His phone wasn't even switched on.

Brian's mind raced. The phone was on when he had given it to Justin. Justin would never do something like turning it off just to spite him – especially not when having it with him comforted him. Not that he would ever admit that it did, but, hey.

So for a moment, Brian Kinney - the cool, calm, indestructible Mr Kinney - just stood and panicked.

After a minute passed, Brian pulled himself together enough to make his body move. He snatched his jacket from the sofa and the keys off of the kitchen island and ran down to start the Jeep.

***

Brian screeched up to the gates of St. James like a bat out of Hell, with one thing on his mind. Justin.

He belted over to reception and asked the woman on duty what lesson Justin had at that moment.

The woman eyed him cryptically.

"What relation are you to Mr. Taylor?" she asked carefully, eyes narrowing.

Brian smiled smugly. This bitch thought she was going to catch him off guard with that question. But he and Justin were way ahead of her. Correction. He and Justin and (Brian still couldn't get over this one) _Jennifer_ were way ahead of her. They had all previously agreed that at some point it was inevitable that Brian was somehow going to get involved with Justin's education. (Even though it had seemed cringe worthily domestic at the time).

They had decided that the school would disapprove of sharing information with Justin's thirty year old, male lover, and that they would therefore need some other identity. From that moment forward, Brian had officially become Justin's uncle.

"I'm his uncle," Brian announced smugly and self assuredly. 

"It's in your records. Check it if you don't believe me," Brian grated out impatiently, when the receptionist looked doubtful.

"That's alright sir," she said grudgingly. Christ, this woman had a real downer on him.

"Can I ask why you need to know which class Mr. Taylor is in?" she asked snootily.

"I need to speak with him; family emergency," Brian growled at the woman, daring her to deny him access. He smirked smugly, knowing full well that she couldn't deny family members' access to their relative. Especially when it was one of those oh-so-useful, distressing, and mysterious 'Family Emergencies'.

"He is scheduled to be in History; that's room 125, first floor, third door on the right," the receptionist admitted defeat. What else could you do in an argument with Brian Kinney? Attrition would never win any battles against Brian.

"Thank you," Brian sighed, thoroughly fed up with this woman. He had more important things to do than squabble with receptionists. Better things like find Justin.

Brian slumped his shoulders in something close to despair. He had gone to Justin's classroom, and when he had not been there, he had torn around practically all the school looking for his boy.

"You're Justin's boyfriend aren't you?" a voice asked, startling Brian out of his thoughts.

Brian whirled around, ready to snap at the person that it was none of their fucking business. But then he actually stopped and calmed himself enough to reason. This shy teenage boy who was standing in front of him could be of help.

"Yeah," he replied with forced calm. "Do you know where I can find him?"

The boy nodded, looking around nervously.

"Try the basement," he whispered, then walked away briskly, not risking another glance at Brian.

Brian stood, amazed at his own stupidity.

_Of course! Of fucking course! The basement is the only place I haven't looked, and it wasn't that long ago (no, please, it really wasn't) that he had been at school and had to rescue Mikey from being beaten up in the basement. After all, it's a place where no teachers would disturb you._

_Yeah, well, I may not be a teacher, but the only thing that means is that I can beat the crap out of you without getting fired,_ Brian thought to any fucker who dared to hurt his Justin.

***

Brian skidded to a halt just at the end of the stairs that had lead him into the basement.

What he saw and heard made him see red.

Justin, on his knees and obviously hurt (judging from the bruises), in the middle of a circle full of jocks – Justin's tormentors - who each had a cigarette in their hands.

Each of the jocks were shouting things at Justin, then forcing him to repeat what they had said, threatening Justin every time he showed the slightest resistance, eventually making the boy cower.

One jock shouted; "Repeat after me, Taylor; 'I am an ugly, dickless faggot, who doesn't deserve to live!'"

Justin groaned, and shook his head pleadingly, tears escaping down his cheeks.

"Ha! Oh my God, look at that, the faggot's crying!" Chris Hobbes shouted, encouraging a roar of laughter form his buddies.

"But, come on, Taylor," Hobbes's voice suddenly turned darker and more threatening. "Repeat what this good man told you to. Who the fuck do you think you are to disobey a direct order?"

When Justin simply shook his head, Chris swiped the red hot cigarette over Justin's pale skin, making the boy whimper.

"Come on, who do you think you are, compared to us?" Chris yelled again, this time backhanding Justin.

"Nobody!" Justin finally screamed. "I'm nobody and a-a…an ugly dickless fag-faggot who doesn't deserve to live!" 

The circle of jocks cheered loudly, and began to push Justin violently from one to the other, like he was a ball.

Brian seemed to be frozen. He wanted desperately to move, but his limbs wouldn't obey him. Those few seconds that he had witnessed felt like hours. And if he saw any more, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing one or more of the tormentors. He forced his body to obey.

He charged into the circle of laughing demons. He singled out Hobbes, tore his head back by the hair, and punched him so hard that the boy passed out before his nose erupted in a scarlet fountain.

He then pushed the unconscious form onto the others, knocking them back even as they tried to escape Brian's wrath.

Brian aimed a kick to another boy on the other side of him, sending the rest of the gang flying. He aimed blows to anyone who was near him or Justin.

He then picked up a metal pipe from the floor. He knew in his heart of hearts that he couldn't really use it on anyone right now.

But he brandished it in the air, giving a clear warning that no one was to come close. They all cowered away.

Brian dropped the pipe, then hurried over to a still cowering Justin. He wrapped his arms firmly but gently around the boy.

"Shh, it's okay, it's Brian. It's me," he murmured into the boy's hair, rubbing his tense back soothingly and muttering more gentle words of love.

Justin gazed up with wide, adoring eyes.

"Aww, you're sweet. My knight in shining Prada. I've always known you love me madly, passionately, deeply. But don't worry, I won't tell," Justin giggled weakly, snuggling his shaking form close to Brian, relaxing now that he knew he was safe.

TBC

 


	7. Chapter 7

  
Author's notes: Thanks for all your amazing reviews!  


* * *

Justin's brain was spinning with all that was happening. Brian was here, his torment had ended. He felt a whirlwind of emotions. Love, relief, fear, embarrassment; even anger. He didn't know why he was feeling them, but he knew that they were definitely there; swirling eddies of smoke clouding a once clear room.

Although he was afraid, and embarrassed that Brian had seen him in that position, the chloroform that had been used to subdue him dulled the fear and the shame, allowing his feelings of love and relief to show through.

"Aww, you're sweet. My knight in shining Prada. I've always known you love me madly, passionately, deeply. But don't worry, I won't tell."

Yes, Brian really was his knight – his hero, and for the moment, Justin was in paradise, not being able to feel the pain and fear for one second, and just being able to focus on how much Brian must care about him to do this for him.

In that moment, fear, pain and shame did not exist to Justin.

***

Brian frowned. His concern for Justin had just skyrocketed at his first words. Knowing Justin as he did, he would have expected his boy to be angry at him for intruding, for seeing him being humiliated.

But the thing Brian most expected Justin to be was scared. He knew that had he been in Justin's situation he would have been scared shitless. And then angry.

Mind you, he knew that the fucking chloroform he could smell would have helped with blocking out Justin's fear momentarily. Those bastards – maybe Chris and Co. really did have a death wish.

Then again, Justin had only just been pulled out of those assholes' reach. And Brian put himself in Justin's shoes again, and realised that the first thing he would have felt upon being rescued after a long time of abuse is relief. He would simply have been relieved that it was over. It helped, knowing that there was no really sinister reason why Justin was relieved to see him. That's just what it was; plain, simple relief.

And so Brian relaxed a bit, and waited for the other emotions to set in, as he knew that he would have to be prepared to help Justin when they did.

***

Darkness. Shouting. Jeering. Pain. Terror.

Then light. Brian. Safe.

But the darkness was still there. He was still in that room. Those tormentors were still there.

Help.

Is Brian still here? He has to be! He can't leave me. I'm frightened.

***

Brian felt it when the fear and the pain came rushing back to Justin. The boy tensed, and then began to tremble.

Brian leaned closer, and held the boy tighter, and began to stroke his hair in what he hoped was a calming manner.

"No, no! D-don't touch me. Please! Please don't hurt me! Don't!" Justin wailed, beginning to struggle against Brian, weakly punching him and trying to wriggle out of his grasp. His eyes told Brian that his boy was in another place – as confused as Justin was due to this torrent of emotions, he thought that his torment continued. He thought that Brian was a hallucination.

"Brian, please help me!" Justin cried, clawing blindly at Brian's shirt, not knowing who it was that held him.

"Justin, it's ok, it's ok; I'm here. You're safe now, Justin," Justin stilled a little, but still pushed at Brian half heartedly. He looked as though he was straining to hear his lover's voice.

"Brian?" he called, voice breaking, tears leaking down his cheeks. He scrambled up onto his elbows and reached out one hand desperately.

"Brian! Brian, help, please! They're hurting me Brian, please!"

Brian could see that Justin really didn't know what was going on, and that he was getting more wound up by the minute. He had to do something. He vaguely remembered seeing a documentary about trauma on TV. He could vaguely remember how the medic had spoken to the victim.

So, hoping that it would help, not hinder his boy, Brian took a deep breath, and began the process of getting his Justin back.

"Justin? Justin, can you hear me?" Brian asked loudly.

Justin twitched, and he blinked his eyes quickly, raising his head as though trying to pick out Brian from a crowd.

"Yes! Brian, I-I can hear you! Where are you?" he cried out, desperately turning his head, searching for his invisible lover.

"Justin, I'm right here, now I know that you can't see me, but I want you to concentrate on the sound of my voice, ok Justin?" Brian spoke clearly and loudly, and kept up his calming stroking of Justin's hair.

"Ok Brian." Justin replied shakily, still looking around for the older man.

"Look, Justin, we have to get out of here, alright? I know you're scared, and I know that you can't see me right now, but you're gonna have to trust me, ok?" Brian told Justin, again loudly and clearly. It seemed to be having an effect, as Justin was no longer twisting his neck in an effort to see Brian, but was looking right at him.

Now came the hard part. He knew that it would take a lot of trust on Justin's part to allow Brian to lead him up the stairs and to the medical room. But he knew that it had to be done, because he was sure that being in this room was feeding Justin's delusion that he was still in the ring of jocks and being tormented.

"Ok, Justin, I want you to listen to me very carefully. We're gonna get you away from the others, ok? I know you won't believe me when I say this, but you're safe; they are well away from you, on the other side of the room, and I'm here, ok, so you just gotta trust me, ok? I'm gonna get us out of this basement; so we gotta stand up, Sonnyboy, nice and easy. I'll lead you right, don't worry."

With that Brian carefully hoisted Justin up from the floor, and allowed him a moment to steady himself.

Justin trembled for a moment, getting his bearings, he clutched at his lover desperately.

"Brian," he whimpered, his hold getting tighter by the minute.

"It's ok, Justin I've got you. Now we have to go up these stairs, ok Sonnyboy? You gotta trust me," Brian assured Justin softly, stroking his back soothingly. "Now, one step at a time, ok; lift your right leg, that's it, now the left, good job Sunshine."

Slowly they made their way up the stairs and out into the school hallways, Justin clutching tightly onto Brian all the time, whispering "Are you still there?" from time to time, as if afraid that Brian was either a hallucination, or would run off and leave at any moment.

When they eventually reached the superior medical room of St. James, Brian kicked the door open to find the school doctor (or whatever the fuck) tending to a boy with a nosebleed.

The doctor turned around, pissed off at having been interrupted, and was about to shout the mandatory 'Wait your turn!'  

But he held his tongue when he saw the state of Justin. Brian glared at the man.

"Good choice," was all he growled when the doctor left the nose bleed patient, and ran over to assist him with Justin.

The doctor moved to take Justin's other arm, but as soon as contact was made, Justin wailed and seemed to shrink back into Brian.

"Brian! What was that?" Justin clutched at Brian as if he were a life ring, and he was drowning.

Brian wound both his arms around Justin, holding onto him tightly, which Justin seemed to like.

"It's alright Justin; it's just the school doctor. He's not going to hurt you. We just wanna get you lying down, ok?" Brian reassured quietly, leading Justin slowly into the room. Brian and the doctor guided him slowly towards the examining table, Brian talking soothingly to him all the way, knowing that if Justin got worked up now, it would be hard to gain his trust again.

"Justin, we gotta get up on the table no, ok?" Brian asked softly, brushing the hair out of Justin's eyes. Justin leaned into the touch and nodded.

"I'm gonna have to pick you up, is that ok with you? I promise I won't hurt you, and I promise I won't let anyone do anything without asking you, ok? I'm with you all the way Sonnyboy."

Justin hesitated, but nodded again, and held his arms out to Brian like a trusting child.

Brian gently wound his arms around Justin's too thin waist, and lifted him up and deposited him softly on the bench. He moved to draw up a chair, but Justin whimpered, and his grip on Brian's hand tightened.

"Hey, it's ok; I'm not leaving you Sunshine. I promise. I'm just getting a chair so I can sit here with you for the entire time, ok?" Brian gently told the boy, stroking his blond bangs slowly, having used this technique on Justin many times before to get him calm.  "I'm gonna keep guard till the ambulance gets here, then I'm gonna ride with you, make sure you don't hog all the attention from those men in uniform."

Justin giggled, his chest heaving with the effort, and the first real Sunshine smile graced his face. Brian grinned, having got the desired affect; Justin didn't look so terrified any more.

"You are sooo in love with me, Mr. Kinney; I'm on to you," Justin giggled, snuggling as close to Brian as possible.

"Yeah, I guess you are on to me, huh, brat?" Brian laughed softly, thumb caressing the Justin's seemingly tiny hand. "You've been on to me all along, cos you know how the great God Kinney works better than any of us, don't you twinkie?"

Justin's grin threatened to blind Brian, and for the first time since Brian had found him in the basement, Justin looked straight into his eyes.

"I see you again, Brian. You're real. _They_ aren't here. It's not a dream; it's over. It is over, isn't it Brian?"

_Fuck, he sounds so fucking young. But at least he's stopped fucking hallucinating._

"Yeah, of course it's over."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

  
Author's notes: I'm so sorry for the long wait, and thank you all for the suport!   


* * *

Justin lay on the examining table in the school doctor's room, and he smiled.

He smiled through his tears of pain, because Brian was with him; because Brian had made them stop. Justin felt safe with Brian.

This was perhaps the only reason that he was letting the school doctor touch him at all. He didn't want the man to touch him. He didn't want anyone but Brian to touch him, and he had proved this by screaming as loudly as he could when the doctor laid his hands on him.

He had screamed and pushed the man off of him, and had tried to get up off the table, only to bump into Brian. He had buried his head in the older man's chest and whimpered quite pitifully that he didn't want to be touched by the stranger.

Brian's resolve had almost crumbled when he felt the boy shaking against him, and begging him to stop the doc from touching him.

But he had looked at the physical state of the boy, and his common sense had quickly prevailed. Justin needed the medical attention.

So he had drawn back slightly, and gently forced Justin to lie back, stroking the boy's shaking head when he whimpered, begging him not to let the doctor touch him.

"You need medical attention, Justin. It's alright; I'll be here all the time." Brian reassured the boy, easing him down onto his back.

Justin gave in and let Brian push him back down, but his eyes stayed wide and staring at Brian, as if he was scared that if he even let his eyes stray for a moment, Brian would disappear like a vision in some hazy, stifling midnight hour.

The doctor murmured something, but Justin closed his eyes, and didn't want to listen. He just wanted to be at home with Brian.

Justin winced and moaned as he felt a slicing pain through his belly.

"Shh, it's okay Sonnyboy," Brian whispered soothingly, holding Justin down gently. "He's just checking for internal damage, it'll be over soon."

Justin looked up at him with pained eyes.

"But I want it to be over _now_ ," he sniffled, struggling slightly against the doctor's and Brian's hands that were holding him down.

"I know you do, Sonnyboy, _I know,"_ he emphasised the last part of the sentence as Justin wailed and pushed at the doctor when the man felt a particularly sensitive part of his belly.

Brian stroked Justin's flank soothingly, and murmured soft words of comfort in his ear, while still holding the boy so that the doctor could carry out the examination.

Justin sniffed, and let the tears run down his cheek as the doctor carried out his painful probing. He also thought of all the things that had happened in the past months since the abuse got worse and worse, and what Brian must think of him.

He couldn't believe that Brian had found out about the bullying. He had tried so hard to keep it a secret. He had been sure that no one apart from Daphne had known about it. And even she hadn't known exactly what went on or how serious it had become. How could Brian have found out?

Obviously he remembered shouting at him and telling him that he was getting harassed on a daily basis, but that was only because Brian had had his suspicions before hand; he had told him so. But how could he have figured out enough to be confident enough to ask Justin about it in the first place? Did he seem weaker? Was he crying more? What was it?! He had kept it all covered up so perfectly!

Of course deep down, he had always secretly wanted Brian to find out. When he got to the loft after having the shit kicked out of him, he always felt a sense of calm and safety, and _relief_ sweep through him. Seeing Brian had just seemed to make everything better.

But there was still that lack of something. Of not being able to say why he was so miserable; of not being able to spill his guts. Because he had always thought, if Brian could comfort him without even knowing the problem, he could make everything _really_ be alright if he did know.

But it wasn't Brian's fault that Justin didn't say anything. It was his decision. Brian had made it clear that, while he accepted that he was not the easiest person to approach sometimes (God knows, Justin knew that, especially during their first months together) he would always listen.

And Justin knew this full well. Hell, Brian told him every time he came home from school looking miserable. And it always comforted him. And yet, he just couldn't tell Brian. And it had been harder and harder to refuse Brian Kinney _pleading_ with him to for God's sake, tell him what was making him unhappy. It got harder every time. But he just couldn't tell Brian.

He didn't even know why. Maybe it was because Brian had already done so much for him, and that he didn't want to be indebted to him for anything more.

Maybe it was because he didn't want Brian to feel obligated to protect Justin.

Maybe it was because he knew Brian hated weakness, and that at the moment, at the mercy of those bastards, he had never felt so weak.

Maybe it was because those people had told him that he was useless, and that he wanted to prove them wrong – he was not useless, he was a man, and he could handle himself.

Maybe it was because he was scared.

"Justin?" Brian's gentle voice brought Justin back to the present.

"Yeah," he asked, voice wavering with pain.

"I'm so sorry, Justin," Brian whispered. "I'm so fucking sorry. I knew that something was going on, I fucking knew! This fucking school, homophobic pricks! You always came back to the loft saying complaining about Chris, and I knew that he was bothering you; I just didn't think that I could do anything. I know I should have tried harder, I know that, and I'm sorry that I didn't."

And here Brian paused, looking down at what the bullies had done to Justin.

"I never imagined that it would be this bad. Justin," Brian pleaded, "were you ever going to tell me. Because I couldn't bear it if this had kept going on, and you never told me. That would fucking kill me Justin."

Justin's face screwed up, in an effort to keep the tears and the hurt inside.

"Shh, no, no, Justin, don't. Don't hide from me again, Sonnyboy. Don't. Just let it out, okay, it's not that bad to let it out," Brian said to Justin very quietly, putting a lilt into his voice that he knew was soothing. He leaned across, and gently wiped at the rebellious tears that had managed to squeeze out of Justin's eyes, and he rubbed the boy's belly in a manner that had always quieted him.

"It doesn't make you any less of a man to let it out, Justin," Brian whispered, knowing that this is what Justin feared most. For all Justin's fragility, he was a strong little fucker.

But right now, he didn't need to be strong. Right now, Brian was with him, and in the older man's opinion, Justin had been being strong for months now. Stronger than anyone he knew. 

And so Justin finally broke down. With one gut – wrenching sob, he opened his eyes slightly and let the tears and the pain out. And Brian held the shaking body to him, letting Justin clutch at him, and rubbing his hands firmly across Justin's back, petting his hair, which he knew Justin loved, and murmuring nonsense words into Justin's ear.

Later on, if you asked Justin what Brian had been saying at that moment, he wouldn't have a clue. He could only tell you that he liked the sound of it, and that Brian's arms had never felt better around him.

Justin kept trying to say things, but his sobbing was so forceful that it cut him off every time he began to speak. Brian caught the occasional word, such as 'sorry,' and 'weak' and 'tried.'

"Brian I_"

"Sorry, - bu"

"Really – I - "

"Justin!" Brian broke in sternly. Justin immediately stopped his babbling, and looked up at Brian with wide eyes.

"Stop. It's alright. You don't have to explain yourself. You're safe now, and don't you dare think that what happened to you is your fault, or that it makes me think any less of you." Brian told the boy, fixing him with his glare. Justin struggled to speak desperately.

"Justin."

It was said in a gentle tone, but the warning was very clear.

"Don't try to speak Justin, just calm down, okay? You're going to be okay, I'll look after you. You just have to relax and let the doctor take care of you." Brian shushed the boy as he tried to speak, attempting to sit up, now clearly having had enough of the doctor's probing.

"Please, Justin, I need you to try to keep still," the doctor said in a strained voice as Justin tried to shift out of his reach.

"Come on, Sonnyboy, settle down, he just needs to take a look at you," Brian soothed the squirming boy.

But it was evident that Justin thought he had stayed still for long enough, and that the doctor should have been quicker if he wanted to look at him. Now it was obviously time to move.  It wasn't in the nature of small blond creatures such as himself to keep still for long periods of time. Brian had told him so lots of times. Usually when he was trying to shave Justin, or trim his hair. Brian did that a lot.

But the older man held onto his squirming form tightly, and tried to pacify the mini beast.

"Justin, come on, just a few more minutes okay? Then you can move," he tried to bargain. But the squirming continued, and Brian had to increase his grip. "Jesus, this is worse than when I shave you! Hey!"

He raised his voice slightly when Justin hit out at him in his desperation, catching him in the face. Brian caught hold of Justin's hand as it flailed again, and looked Justin sternly in the eye.

"No hitting." He said firmly. "Don't you hit me, or anyone else in this room okay? That's not necessary. I know you're scared, and I know this is pissing you off, but you just have to calm down for me. Now, the ambulance is here," Brian softened his voice slightly now.

"And I want you to just let them look over you and do whatever they have to, okay? I know you've been patient, and I know this is frustrating. I know that you are hurting, but you have to just behave. I'm coming with you, so don't think you're going to get away with being a brat."

Brian gently but firmly kept the boy's head tilted up, keeping Justin's gaze until he nodded in understanding. 

He allowed his expression to soften, thinking that Justin had probably been scolded enough. He wasn't a complete asshole. He just didn't want the boy to get away with too much bratty behaviour. There was a point where it stopped being cute, even to Brian.

He now smiled reassuringly, hoisting the boy up onto the gurney himself, stroking Justin's hair and accepting his weak smile and his tight grip on his hand.

TBC

 


End file.
